Ad server integration

1. A media services platform for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video, the media services platform comprising: a computing system configured to: process indication of the in-stream ad unit from an ad server to insert into a slot of the content object configured for insertion of the in-stream ad unit, repeatedly and automatically place the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object to create a plurality of precoded object variants at a first location, each of the precoded object variants being associated with one or more types of content object players; and selecting one of the plurality of precoded object variants based on a characteristic of the content object player associated with the content request wherein the one of the plurality of precoded object variants is precoded before a content request for a content object is received; and a first interface configured to receive at the first location: the content request for the content object from the content object player, and location information that identifies where the content object can be retrieved; a second interface configured to send an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from the first location to the ad server at a second location, wherein: the second location is away from the first location on the Internet; and the selecting of the one of the plurality of precoded object variants is effected by an outcome of the ad request; and a third interface configured to facilitate download or streaming of the one of the plurality of precoded object variants from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

2. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first interface is sub-divided into a content request interface and a connector interface.

3. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein: the second interface to the ad server includes an application program interface (API) for processing display ad units, and the ad request is sent to the API.

4. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the placement of the in-stream ad unit is performed before receiving the content request.

5. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing system transcodes the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

6. A method for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video and the content object has a slot configured for insertion of the in-stream ad unit, the method comprising: sending an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from a first location to an ad server at a second location, wherein the second location is away from the first location on the Internet; receiving an indication of the in-stream ad unit to insert into the slot from the ad server; retrieving the in-stream ad unit; transcoding the content object to create a plurality of precoded object variants to effect the placement of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object at the first location, each of the precoded object variants being associated with one or more types of content object players; receiving at the first location a content request for the content object from a content object player, wherein: the content request includes location information, and the location information: is received at the first location, and identifies where the content object can be requested; selecting one of the plurality of precoded object variants based on a characteristic of the content object player associated with the content request wherein: the one of the plurality of precoded object variants is transcoded before receiving the content request for the content object; and the selecting of the one of the plurality of precoded object variants is effected by an outcome of the ad request; and facilitating download or streaming of the one of the plurality of precoded content objects from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

7. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein the ad server is spoofed into thinking the sending of the ad request is coming from an end user system.

8. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein the content request from the content object player returns the one of the plurality of precoded object variants without further information beyond the request from the content object player.

9. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , further comprising receiving at the first location indication of the slot location within the content object for insertion of the in-stream ad unit.

10. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein: the ad server is a display ad server (DAS); the DAS does not natively support in-stream ad units, the DAS includes an application program interface (API) for providing display ads, and the ad request is sent to the API.

11. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , further comprising transcoding the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

12. A storage device having machine-executable instructions configured to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 6 .

13. A machine adapted to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 6 .

14. A method for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video and the content object has a slot configured for insertion of the in-stream ad unit, the method comprising: processing at a first location indication of the slot within the content object for insertion of the in-stream ad unit; sending an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from the first location to an ad server at a second location, wherein the second location is away from the first location on the Internet; processing indication of the in-stream ad unit to insert into the slot from the ad server; repeatedly automatically placing of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object to create a plurality of precoded content variants at the first location, each of the precoded object variants being associated with one or more types of content object players; processing at the first location a content request for the content object from a content object player; processing location information at the first location that identifies where the content object can be retrieved; selecting one of the plurality of precoded object variants based on a characteristic of the content object player associated with the content request, wherein: the automatic placement of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object is performed before receiving the content request; and the selecting of the one of the plurality of precoded object variants is effected by an outcome of the ad request; and facilitating download or streaming of the one of the plurality of precoded content objects from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

15. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 14 , wherein: the ad server includes an application program interface (API) for processing display ad units, and the request is sent to the API.

16. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 14 , further comprising transcoding the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

17. A storage device having machine-executable instructions configured to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 14 .

18. A machine adapted to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 14 .